The Indian Academy of Performing Arts New York, New Jersey USA
HOME FORTHCOMING EVENTS PAST RECORDINGS MEMBERSHIP ABOUT US EVENTS IN THE AREA MEMBER LOCATOR	Astha Shukla and Dr. Smt. Veena Pani Shukla Ms Astha Shukla was born and brought up in a musical atmosphere, with her mother keenly interested in music, being a good singer and music teacher herself. Astha started showing talent in music at a very early age. She started participating in programs at the age of four, and won many first prizes in competitions. Apart from her mother, she also received initial training in music under Lt. Pt. Kashinath Shankar Bodas of Kanpur. She stood first in the classical music competition held during the cultural festival of IIT Kanpur in 1995. The same year, she also won first prize at the state level in a classical vocal competition organized by the U.P. Sangeet Natak Academy Lucknow. She has received formal training in music up to masters’ level. For the past few years she has been under the able tutelage of Dr. Mrs. Veena Sahasrabuddhe, who is a renowned vocalist of India. Astha’s ‘gayaki’ mainly reflects the qualities of Gwalior gharana. Her voice has sweetness and flexibility, which enables her to have command over classical, semi-classical and light forms of music. Astha’s mother, Dr Smt Veena Pani Shukla, received her initial training in Indian classical music from Lt. Acharya Shankar Shripad Bordas. She did her Ph.D. in music from BHU under the guidance of Dr. M.R. Gautam, Padmashree Pt Balwant Rai Bhatt and Lt Madhav Vaman Thakar. She organized music classes up to postgraduate level in IITK campus in affiliation with Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya Mandal, Miraj for 10 years. She was also at the post of lecturer in S.N Sen Balika Vidyalaya postgraduate degree college for 13 years from which she has recently retired. She is blessed with a very sweet and melodious voice and the specialties of Gwalior and Agra gharana can be seen in her gayaki .She was actively involved with SPIC MACAY and organized many cultural programs in IITK as well as Kanpur city. Astha currently resides in Morris Plains NJ, and has been giving music lessons at her home, Vivekanand Vidyapith in Wayne and Basking Ridge.	.